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Starting a successful research program and doing scholarly work at a
predominantly undergraduate institution poses unique challenges for a beginning
faculty member. A goal of the institute is to give pre-tenured faculty the
opportunity to learn from and discuss with experienced faculty how to establish
and manage a research program with undergraduates. While at the institute,
participants will also prepare plans for starting and/or advancing their
individual research programs at their respective campuses. The institute is timely and especially important for faculty in the beginning of their career due to the increased national emphasis on research that is part of the national stimulus package. A range of topics
will be covered during the institute, and the specific goals include ways to
achieve career success in undergraduate research by learning how to:
• select undergraduate researchers
• mentor student researchers and develop and use their research skills
• time management - balancing teaching, research and service activities
• develop and select research projects appropriate for undergraduates
• adapt to an undergraduate research environment vs. that in graduate
school
• link research to the classroom and
• develop grantsmanship skills related to gaining external and
institutional research support
A $50.00 application fee is due at the time of
application. Should you be accepted to attend the Institute, your application
fee will be applied to your tuition fees. In the event that CUR does not accept
your application, the $50.00 application fee will be refunded. Should you
withdraw your application or elect not to participate in the Institute, the
$50.00 application fee will be forfeited. Should your institution send a team,
an application fee must be paid for each individual on the team. In the event
that team members are changed, the application fee may be transferred. Should a
team member drop out, the application fee will be forfeited.
Upon notification of acceptance, CUR will invoice your
institution for the amount of $600 per accepted participant (CUR Institutional
Members) or $700 (Non-CUR Institutional Members). If you are not sure whether
your school is an institutional member please refer to the list of institutional
members by clicking here or
contact CUR's Membership Coordinator. A
$50.00 credit will appear on your invoice for any application fees received. The
registration fee includes all sessions, materials, and meals (Friday evening through Sunday noon). Transportation to the hotel from an airport or train station is the responsibility of the registrant
All tuition and housing fees are due thirty calendar days prior to the start of the event.
To guarantee that a place is held, payment for the institute must be received in
the National Office by this date, unless prior arrangements are made with the
National Office. Participants that have not paid may be dropped from
registration, unless payment arrangements have been made with the National
Office. In the event that a participant is dropped from registration, the
application fee will not be refunded.
Should your team need to cancel or any individual member
of the team cancel, the National Office must receive written notice of the
cancellation thirty calendar days prior to the Institute. In
the event of a cancellation application fees will not be refunded. Cancellations
received before the cancellation date will not be held responsible for
registration fees, however the application fee will not be refunded.
Participants canceling after this date will be responsible for the full fee.
Institutions may not substitute one participant for another without prior
approval of the National Office.
CUR always suggests that their registrants purchase
low-cost travel insurance when booking their air reservations. Not only will
this insurance cover your airfare in the event of cancellation but will also
cover the registration cost for the meeting you were to attend. Ask your travel
agent about it.
Before you apply, please review the following information
about your Narrative Statement, which must be provided at the time of
application.
Narrative Statement:
As a part of the Institute application, please provide a one paragraph
narrative statement in which you
- describe what you see as the future of undergraduate research at your
institution and
- what outcomes you hope to realize through participation in the
CUR Institute.
In addition to the paragraph, please pose 3 questions that you hope will be
discussed during the Institute. If you wish, you may choose questions from the
following list.
1) What should be my research expectations for undergraduates?
2) When should I submit my first grant proposal and why?
3) I find myself in a department in which research is expected but not yet
valued. What strategies can I use to overcome the notion seemingly held by some
of the faculty that classroom teaching is much more important than supervised
research and that research detracts from a teacher's classroom
performance?
4) In addition to learning about the research process, independent thinking,
use of research instruments, etc., what else should students gain from doing a
research experience?
5) How do I establish rules (e.g. lab safety rules) and ensure that students
obey them?
6) How do I use my department's curriculum and my particular classes to
attract students to do long-term research projects in my lab?
7) How do I establish continuity between students coming into and leaving my
research group so that I can keep the research program going nearly
continuously?
8) How do I introduce research into my classroom?
9) My institution does not have a grants and contracts office. How do I find
the time to find appropriate funding agencies and prepare and submit research
grant proposals?
10) What institutional and departmental policies and practices should I
expect that will encourage or support my research with undergraduates.
Link to Application |
